Automatically expanding mail receptacles



Jan. 28, 1941. M F|RE5TONE .2,229,645

AUTOMATIC ExPANnme MAIL Rscsrmcna's Filed July e, 1959 oo Ll Patented Jan. 28, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT trice AUTOMATICALLY EXPANDING MAIL RE CEPTACLES l Claim.

My present invention relates to receptacles, and more particularly to the type adapted to be used to receive mail dropped through a slot in a door.

An object of this invention is to provide a receptacle of novel and improved construction which automatically expands as its contents are increased.

Another object hereof is to provide a novel and improved receptacle of the character mentioned, the capacity of which is variable and easily adjustable,

A further object is to provide a novel `and improved receptacle for mail, which is unobstrusive in appearance, reasonably cheap to manufacture, simple in construction, easy to use and ecient in carrying out the purposes for which it was designed.

Other objects will become manifest as this disclosure proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this application, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Fig. l is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 shows a plan thereof.

Fig. 3 is a perspective View showing the receptacle as mounted indoors onto a door, immediately below a mail slot.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the receptacle in contracted condition.

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the article in partially extended condition; interior components being omitted.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to that of Fig. 5, showing the receptacle in fully extended condition.

In the drawing, the numerals I5 and I6 designate open box halves, which are preferred so that they serve as the front and rear walls of the extended structure, and as all the Walls of the receptacle in its minimum contracted condition. These members I5 and I6, are associated in hinged relation respectively, with the hinged door sections II and I8, in which set-up, the numerals I9, 2n and 2| indicate hinge lines. Said floor sections have bent up tabs 22 at their side edges, so that pieces of mail 23 when lying on the sections I'I and I8, will be kept from slipping off. The numerals 24 and 25 indicate lazy tongs, preferably mounted to lie within the box halves I5 and I6, up against the side wall portions 26. The assembly is maintained by means of headed pins or screws 21 extending from the lazy tongs through the slots 29 in wall portions 26.

It is intended that when the receptacle contract in capacity, that its oor shall fold so that sections I1 and I8 move upwardly therein. It is evident that the weight of matter thrown into the receptacle through the mail slot 35 in the instance illustrated, will act to open the hinge 20, thereby causing expansion of the receptacle. The extent of such expansion is limited by any suitable stop means which in the embodiment shown is accomplished by the lug 3| extending from one of the box halves. The upper edge 32 of this lug slants upwardly towards the hinge line 20, so that when the receptacle is in fully extended condition, the oor sections I1 and I8, shall still be slanted upwardly toward their hinge line 2|). When the article is mounted onto a door 33 by the suction cups 34 as an instance, or by any other suitable detachable or permanently mounting means, merely pushing or pulling the component I5, will alter the capacity of the receptacle and particularly contract the same so that its capacity is determined by the box formed by the components I5 and I6 when in contact. In this condition, lug 3| enters slot 35 to permit the formation of such small capacity box structure.

Normally, the article is in contracted condition. Then as a quantity of mail is thrown through the mail slot 30, the receptacle will automatically expand due to the action of the weight of such mail as hereinbefore explained, and then can be fed more mail matter to hold.

The teachings of this invention are capable of being embodied in numerous forms and adapted for various applications without departing from the essenial features herein disclosed. It is therefore intended and desired that the embodiment set forth herein shall be deemed illustrative and not restrictive, and that the patent shall cover whatever features of patentable novelty exist in the foregoing disclosure; reference being had to the following claim rather than to the specific description herein to indicate the scope of this invention.

I claim:

In a receptacle, front and rear walls; the rear wall being adapted to be mounted onto a support, extensible side walls comprising lazy tongs, interposed between the front and rear walls, and supporting the front wall for substantially horizontal movement, and a bottom comprising hinged plates; said bottom being hinged at the front and rear Walls; said plates when folded, lying in upwardly extending position between said walls, whereby the weight of articles placed into the receptacle will cause the plates of the bottom to unfold, thereby automatically extending the side Walls and means on one of said walls for preventing said plates from taking respectively parallel positions when the receptacle is in fully extended condition.

, MICHAEL FIRESTONE. 

